Background and aims: There has been much interest in exercise interventions as a primary behavioral prevention strategy against cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent exercise program on physical and dualtask performances in community-dwelling older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: Fifty older adults (23 women) with aMCI (mean age, 76 years) were randomized to an intervention (n = 25) or a control group (n = 25). The intervention group received a multicomponent exercise program for 90 minutes/day, 2 days/week, or 40 times over six months. The multicomponent exercises included aerobic exercise, muscle strength training and postural balance retraining, which was conducted under multi-task conditions to stimulate attention and memory. Participants in the control group attended two health promotion education classes within six months. Physical and dual-task performances were measured before randomization and after six months. Dual-task performances using reaction times with balance and cognitive demands conditions were measured. Results: The improvement effects on dual-task performances with both balance and cognitive demands were not statistically significant: reaction time with balance demand (F 1,45 = 3.3, P = 0.07) and cognitive demand (F 1,45 = 2.6, P = 0.12). However, there was a significant group-by-time interaction on maximal walking speed, which decreased significantly in the control group (F 1,45 = 5.9, P = 0.02). Conclusion: This six-month multicomponent exercise program improved maximal walking speed in older adults with aMCI; however, it did not improve dual-task performances assessed by reaction times.

Section for Health Promotion, Department for Research and Development to Support Independent Life of Elderly, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.